This will be the last podcast for quite some time as Rita takes a break to focus on conducting food and faith workshops. Here she reminds us of the importance of allowing the traditions of our church to be the basis for our health management.

The spiritual tools of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving are connected; they flow into one another. And all three have one goal, have one purpose, have one thing that they are supposed to do in our life. All the tools that the Church gives us exist to make us more like Christ.

If we want to approach Lent in a spiritually healthy way that will enable us to participate already in life eternal, we too must offer up ourselves.

Fr. Ted addresses the importance of the tools for life that we receive in the House of God.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Evan Armatas, priest at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, the host of the AFR live Sunday-night call-in show Orthodoxy Live, and the host of the AFR podcast Transforming Our Lives in Christ. And now he has published his first book with Ancient Faith Ministries titled Toolkit for Spiritual Growth: A Practical Guide to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.

A conversation with film producer David DeJonge and the head of the Department of Outreach and Evangelism for the GOA, Fr. Jim Kordaris. Learn about a new and exciting project to produce a high quality video series as a tool for evangelism called Baseline.

Fr. Barnabas Powell interviews Fr. Evan Armatas about Fr. Evan's new Ancient Faith book Toolkit for Spiritual Growth.

Ulster prop Tom O'Toole will miss Ireland's Test against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.

Northern Ireland needs to have "the protections that are in the protocol" says SDLP MLA.

Back in November 2016 Music Ally wrote an article about how Laura Marling fans could pre-save her new album on Spotify. This was the first ever pre-save. This functionality wasn’t (and still isn’t) an official Spotify tool, it was put together by David Emery (who now works at Apple Music) who was VP of global...

We describe the design of a mobile collaborative tool that helps teams managing critical computing infrastructures in organizations, a task that is usually designated Business Continuity Management. The design process started with a requirements definition phase based on interviews with professional teams. The elicited requirements highlight four main concerns: collaboration support, knowledge management, team performance, and situation awareness. Based on these concerns, we developed a data model and tool supporting the collaborative update of Situation Matrixes. The matrixes aim to provide an integrated view of the operational and contextual conditions that frame critical events and inform the operators' responses to events. The paper provides results from our preliminary experiments with Situation Matrixes.

Nowadays, one of the main issues discussed at the Community level is represented by the mobility of students and workers across Europe. During the last years, in order to deal with the above picture, several initiatives have been carried out: one of them is the definition of the European Qualification Framework (EQF), a common architecture for the description of qualifications. At the same time, several research activities were established with the aim of finding how semantic technologies could be exploited for qualifications comparison in the field of human resources acquisition. In this paper, the EQF specifications are taken into account and they are applied in a practical scenario to develop a ranking algorithm for the comparison of qualifications expressed in terms of knowledge, skill and competence concepts, potentially aimed at supporting European employers during the recruiting phase.

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this article is to develop a tool to detect plagiarism in real time amongst students being evaluated for learning in a computer-based assessment setting. Background: Cheating or copying all or part of source code of a program is a serious concern to academic institutions. Many academic institutions apply a combination of policy driven and plagiarism detection approaches. These mechanisms are either proactive or reactive and focus on identifying, catching, and punishing those found to have cheated or plagiarized. To be more effective against plagiarism, mechanisms that detect cheating or colluding in real-time are desirable. Methodology: In the development of a tool for real-time plagiarism prevention, literature review and prototyping was used. The prototype was implemented in Delphi programming language using Indy components. Contribution: A real-time plagiarism detection tool suitable for use in a computer-based assessment setting is developed. This tool can be used to complement other existing mechanisms. Findings: The developed tool was tested in an environment with 55 personal computers and found to be effective in detecting unauthorized access to internet, intranet, and USB ports on the personal computers. Recommendations for Practitioners: The developed tool is suitable for use in any environment where computer-based evaluation may be conducted. Recommendation for Researchers: This work provides a set of criteria for developing a real-time plagiarism prevention tool for use in a computer-based assessment. Impact on Society: The developed tool prevents academic dishonesty during an assessment process, consequently, inculcating confidence in the assessment processes and respectability of the education system in the society. Future Research: As future work, we propose a comparison between our tool and other such tools for its performance and its features. In addition, we want to extend our work to include testing for scalability of the tool to larger settings.

Aim/Purpose: The study seeks to utilize Augmented Reality (AR) in creating virtual laboratories for engineering education, focusing on enhancing teaching methodologies to facilitate student understanding of intricate and theoretical engineering principles while also assessing engineering students’ acceptance of such laboratories. Background: AR, a part of next-generation technology, has enhanced the perception of reality by overlaying virtual elements in the physical environment. The utilization of AR is prevalent across different disciplines, yet its efficacy in facilitating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is limited. Engineering studies, a part of STEM learning, involves complex and abstract concepts like machine simulation, structural analysis, and design optimization; these things would be easy to grasp with the help of AR. This restriction can be attributed to their innovative characteristics and disparities. Therefore, providing a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing the acceptance of these technologies by students - the primary target demographic – and examining the impact of these factors is essential to maximize the advantages of AR while refining the implementation processes. Methodology: The primary objective of this research is to develop and evaluate a tool that enriches the educational experience within engineering laboratories. Utilizing Unity game engine libraries, digital content is meticulously crafted for this tool and subsequently integrated with geo-location functionalities. The tool’s user-friendly interface allows both faculty and non-faculty members of the academic institution to establish effortlessly the virtual laboratory. Subsequently, an assessment of the tool is conducted through the application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, involving the administration of surveys to university students to gauge their level of adaptability. Contribution: The utilization of interactive augmented learning in laboratory settings enables educational establishments to realize notable savings in time and resources, thereby achieving sustainable educational outcomes. The study is of great importance due to its utilization of student behavioral intentions as the underlying framework for developing an AR tool and illustrating the impact of learner experience on various objectives and the acceptance of AR in Engineering studies. Furthermore, the research results enable educational institutions to implement AR-based virtual laboratories to improve student experiences strategically, align with learner objectives, and ultimately boost the adaptability of AR technologies. Findings: Drawing on practice-based research, the authors showcase work samples and a digital project of AR-based Virtual labs to illustrate the evaluation of the adaptability of AR technology. Adaptability is calculated by conducting a survey of 300 undergraduate university students from different engineering departments and applying an adaptability method to determine the behavioral intentions of students. Recommendations for Practitioners: Engineering institutions could leverage research findings in the implementation of AR to enhance the effectiveness of AR technology in practical education settings. Recommendation for Researchers: The authors implement a pragmatic research framework aimed at integrating AR technology into virtual AR-based labs for engineering education. This study delves into a unique perspective within the realm of engineering studies, considering students’ perspectives and discerning their behavioral intentions by drawing upon previous research on technology utilization. The research employs various objectives and learner experiences to assess their influence on students’ acceptance of AR technology. Impact on Society: The use of AR in engineering institutions, especially in laboratory practicals, has a significant impact on society, supported by the UTAUT2 model. UTAUT2 model assesses factors like performance, effort expectancy, social influence, and conditions, showing that AR in education is feasible and adaptable. This adaptability helps students and educators incorporate AR tools effectively for better educational results. AR-based labs allow students to interact with complex engineering concepts in immersive settings, enhancing understanding and knowledge retention. This interactive augmented learning for laboratories saves educational institutions significant time and resources, attaining sustainable learning. Future Research: Further research can employ a more comprehensive acceptance model to examine learners’ adaptability to AR technology and try comparing different adaptability models to determine which is more effective for engineering students.

Aim/Purpose: The aim of the study is to test whether the perception of self-regulated learning during text reading in online teacher education is improved by using a digital tool for the use of metacognitive strategies for planning, monitoring, and self-assessment. Background: The use of self-regulated learning is important in reading skills, and for students to develop self-regulated learning, their teachers must master it. Therefore, teaching strategies for self-regulated learning in teacher education is essential. Methodology: The sample size was 252 participants with the tool used by 42% or the participants. A quasi-experimental design was used in a pre-post study. ARATEX-R, a text-based scale, was used to evaluate self-regulated learning. The 5-point Likert scale includes the evaluation of five dimensions: planning strategies, cognition management, motivation management, comprehension assessment and context management. A Generalized Linear Model was used to analyse the results. Contribution: Using the tool to self-regulate learning has led to an improvement during text reading, especially in the dimensions of motivation management, planning management and comprehension assessment, key dimensions for text comprehension and learning. Findings: Participants who use the app perceive greater improvement, especially in the dimensions of motivation management (22,3%), planning management (19.9%) and comprehension assessment (24,6%), which are fundamental dimensions for self-regulation in text reading. Recommendations for Practitioners: This tool should be included in teacher training to enable reflection during the reading of texts, because it helps to improve three key types of strategies in self-regulation: (1) planning through planning management, (2) monitoring through motivation management and comprehension assessment, and (3) self-assessment through comprehension assessment. Recommendation for Researchers: The success of the tool suggests further study for its application in other use cases: other student profiles in higher education, other teaching modalities, and other educational stages. These studies will help to identify adaptations that will extend the tool’s use in education. Impact on Society: The use of Metadig facilitates reflection during the reading of texts in order to improve comprehension and thus self-regulate the learning of content. This reflection is crucial for students’ knowledge construction. Future Research: Future research will focus on enhancing the digital tool by adding features to support the development of cognition and context management. It will also focus on how on adapting the tool to help other types of learners.

This article presents a case study that outlines the potential of DigiBot technology, an interactive automated response program, in mobile open learning (MOL) for business subjects. The study, which draws on a project implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrates the applications of DigiBots delivered via WhatsApp to over 650,000 learners. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the article reports on live event tracking, qualitative observations from facilitators and learning technologists, and a learner survey (<i>N</i> = 304,000). The research offers practical recommendations and proposes a model for scalable DigiBot learning. Findings reveal that in this case, DigiBot MOL had the potential to effectively address two key obstacles in open learning: accessibility and scalability. Leveraging mobile platforms such as WhatsApp mitigates accessibility restrictions, particularly in resource-constrained contexts, while tailored micro-learning enhances scalability.

An algorithm learning tool was developed for an introductory computer science class in a specialized science and technology high school in Japan. The tool presents lessons and simple visualizations that aim to facilitate teaching and learning of fundamental algorithms. Written tests and an evaluation questionnaire were designed and implemented along with the learning tool among the participants. The tool’s effect on the learning performance of the students was examined. The differences of the two types of visualizations offered by the tool, one with more input and control options and the other with fewer options, were analyzed. Based on the evaluation questionnaire, the scales with which the tool can be assessed according to its usability and pedagogical effectiveness were identified. After using the algorithm learning tool there was an increase in the posttest scores of the students, and those who used the visualization with more input and control options had higher scores compared to those who used the one with limited options. The learning objectives used to evaluate the tool correlated with the test performance of the students. Properties comprised of learning objectives, algorithm visualization characteristics, and interface assessment are proposed to be incorporated in evaluating an algorithm learning tool for novice learners.

Aim/Purpose: In the midst of COVID-19, classes are transitioned online. Instructors and students scramble for ways to adapt to this change. This paper shares an experience of one instructor in how he has gone through the adaptation. Background: This section provides a contextual background of online teaching. The instructor made use of M-learning to support his online teaching and adopted the UTAUT model to guide his interpretation of the phenomenon. Methodology: The methodology used in this study is action research through participant-observation. The instructor was able to look at his own practice in teaching and reflect on it through the lens of the UTAUT conceptual frame-work. Contribution: The results helped the instructor improve his practice and better under-stand his educational situations. From the narrative, others can adapt and use various apps and platforms as well as follow the processes to teach online. Findings: This study shares an experience of how one instructor had figured out ways to use M-learning tools to make the online teaching and learning more feasible and engaging. It points out ways that the instructor could connect meaningfully with his students through the various apps and plat-forms. Recommendations for Practitioners: The social aspects of learning are indispensable whether it takes place in person or online. Students need opportunities to connect socially; there-fore, instructors should try to optimize technology use to create such opportunities for conducive learning. Recommendations for Researchers: Quantitative studies using surveys or quasi-experiment methods should be the next step. Validated inventories with measures can be adopted and used in these studies. Statistical analysis can be applied to derive more objective findings. Impact on Society: Online teaching emerges as a solution for the delivery of education in the midst of COVID-19, but more studies are needed to overcome obstacles and barriers to both instructors and students. Future Research: Future studies should look at the obstacles that instructors encounter and the barriers with technology access and inequalities that students face in online classes.